§ MR. MURROUGHsaid, he would beg, in accordance with the notice he had given, to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Clerk of the Ordnance whether it was true that, although the officers of the British army at Aldershot had been required to furnish their huts at their own expense, the huts occupied by the officers of the German troops there had been furnished for them at the public expense, and, that he might be in order, he would move the adjournment of the House so that he might be enabled to make a statement with respect to recent occurrences at Aldershot. When the Foreign Enlistment Bill was brought before the House in December 1854, its opponents pointed out to the Government the deplorable consequences which would ensue from the introduction of foreign troops into the service of Her Majesty. The anticipations of those gentlemen had been fully realised. Not only had the promise of the hon. Under Secretary for War, that the men belonging to the foreign legion, when they returned from the East, would be sent to some British colony, not been fulfilled, but it was rumoured out of doors that a very high and distinguished personage—
MR. WALPOLESir, I rise to order. I do not wish to stand between the hon. Member and the House, but, having given notice of his intention to put a particular question to the Government, I do not think he can continue his observations. It is true that, in order that he might make a statement, he has moved the adjournment of the House; but he is bound, I apprehend, to confine himself to showing why that Motion should be adopted; otherwise it is obvious the public business might be exposed, from time to time, to very serious and unnecessary interruptions. I appeal to you, Sir, to decide whether the hon. Member is not out of order.
§ MR. MURROUGHSir, I concur with the right hon. Gentleman that I ought to have very strong reasons for adopting the course which I have now done, and, with the permission of the House, I will proceed to state those reasons. (Cries of, "Order!")
§ MR. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Cambridge has fairly stated what the rule of the House is—namely, that when a Member moves the adjournment of the House he ought to show some reason why the House should adjourn. The hon. Member for Bridport has not done so yet.
§ MR. MURROUGHNo, Sir, but I am prepared to vindicate my Motion. When assassinations have been perpetrated at Aldershot by German mercenaries—when English subjects are bleeding from the dirks of foreign hirelings— am I not justified in calling the attention the of the House to the subject? The country is indignant beyond measure. It feels that these foreign troops are countenanced by those who sit in high places. (Cries of "Order!") It is all very well for hon. Gentlemen to cry "Order ! "but it is our duty, as the representatives of the people, to inquire into these matters, and I am not aware that I am exceeding the privileges of debate in bringing so important a subject under the notice of the House. Sir, is it right or just that the officers of the German Legion, notwithstanding what has occurred at Aldershot and elsewere, should have their huts furnished to them at the expense of the country?
§ MR. SPOONERSir, I rise to order. You have stated that when an hon. Member moves the adjournment of the House he is bound to give sufficient reasons why the House should adjourn. Now, can any event, however deplorable which may have happened at Aldersot, be a good reason why this House should forthwith adjourn?
§ MR. SPEAKERI have not yet heard from the hon. Member for Bridport any reason why the House should adjourn. The House will see that if one hon. Member be allowed to move the adjournment of the House, and upon that Motion to make a speech relative to a totally different subject, another may adopt the same course, and it will be practically impossible to carry on the public business.
§ MR. MURROUGHI think, Sir, that no business of any kind should be proceeded with until we have some statement from Her Majesty's Government on the important question which I have introduced to the notice of the House. That is the reason why I have moved the adjournment of the House. (Cries of "Order!") I am speaking to order. I have no doubt hon. Gentlemen would be extremely glad to get rid of this question; but it is one of great interest to the country and to the Government, which has placed us in this dilemma. Are the assassinations at Aldershot to be left unexplained? Are the morals of the army, and indeed of the country at large, to be corrupted by a band of German brigands?
§ VISCOUNT BARRINGTONI must say. Sir, that I think the hon. Member has now given us a reason why the House should not adjourn.
§ MR. MURROUGHSir, I feel, and many hon. Members feel with me, that the time has come when we should ascertain by what or by whose influence these German troops are maintained in this free country.
§ COLONEL FREESTUNSir, I rise to order. I really think the hon. Member should not be allowed to proceed.
§ MR. ROEBUCKI do not think, Sir, any good can arise from this discussion, but let us not forget the old proverb that "what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander." Not so very long ago the hon. Member for North Northamptonshire (Mr. Stafford) having moved the adjournment of the House, proceeded to make a statement with respect to the naval review at Spithead. If he had a right to do that, I suppose the hon. Member for Bridport (Mr. Murrough) is equally entitled to make his statement, though I do not think he is adopting a very wise course.
§ MR. E. BALLsaid, he fully concurred with the hon. and learned Member for Sheffield, that the practice of the House was, on a formal Motion for the adjournment of the House, to allow statements to be made on different subjects.
§ MR. SPEAKERI have no doubt that hon. Members, from time to time, have moved the adjournment of the House, in order to bring forward particular questions; but what I wish to point out to the House is, that if that practice be persevered in, it will be quite impossible to transact the public business.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI apprehend, Sir, that, if the Standing Orders were strictly enforced, any hon. Member who had moved the adjournment of the House would be compelled to confine himself to that question. Through laxity and indulgence, hon. Members are occasionally permitted to diverge to other topics; but the House will observe that the hon. Member for Bridport is doubly out of order, because he has departed not only from the rules of the House, but also from a notice which he had himself given. I am ready to answer the question which he has placed on the paper, and, seeing that the hon. Member has given another notice for tomorrow with respect to the German Legion, I hope he will defer his observations till then.
§ MR. MURROUGHSir, I hope we shall hear something more from the noble Lord than a mere answer to the question of which I have given notice. However, I have no objection to postpone my observations till to-morrow, hoping that I may then have an opportunity of making a statement to the House. Meanwhile I trust the noble Lord will answer the question as to the huts occupied by the German troops.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, I am not going to enter into the subject to which the hon. Member has adverted— namely, the unfortunate collision which has taken place between the soldiers of one regiment and those of another. The particulars of which even have not yet reached me, nor do I know who were the aggressors. I deplore the event very deeply, but it is one not altogether without example, and I am bound to say that the general conduct of the regiments belonging to the German Legion has been most exemplary, and has met with high praise from all officers—both English and foreign —who have witnessed it. I now proceed to the question of the hon. Member itself. When the German Legion was stationed at Shorncliffe it was intended that it should remain there only a short time; and when it was removed to Aldershot, our intention was that it should stay there only until measures were taken for its final disposal— measures which, I trust, will very shortly be carried into execution. The hut furniture supplied to a British officer, as I am informed, consists of two chairs, a table, and fireirons. Anything beyond that he finds for himself. When the 1112 German Legion was stationed at Shorncliffe, an application was made for an additional indulgence in the shape of a soldier's bed and mattress. It so happened that at that time there was a quantity of those articles in store, and considering that the German troops were to remain at Shorncliffe only for a short period, they were provided with a number of them. On their removal to Aldershot the same indulgence was continued to them for the same reason—that their stay in camp was to be only temporary; I certainly do not think that the House will consider that that is an indulgence calling for any animadversion.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, he wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in the opinion of the Government, the troops composing the Foreign Legion were available for garrison or for active duty within the United Kingdom?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, the Act of Parliament which authorised Her Majesty's Government to raise foreign troops allowed them to bring into this country a certain number of these troops for the purposes of drill and organisation; but it was never contemplated that they should, while here, he employed in any manner in which troops might unfortunately be required to act. I have no hesitation in stating that these German troops are in this country simply as in a resting place until measures, which are in contemplation, shall be taken for their disbandment: and although I trust that, in the present state of the country, it is utterly out of the question to suppose that any troops can be required for any such purposes as those to which the hon. Gentleman refers, I may add, that undoubtedly no foreign troops would, under any circumstances, be so employed.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, he wished to know if he was to understand that none of those foreign troops were to be available for garrison or for active duty in this country?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONThey are not in garrison; they are encamped; and they must be somewhere.
§ LORD ROBERT CECILsaid, he wished to ask whether some of those foreign troops had not been in garrison at Dovor Castle?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONDuring the war they occupied a barrack at Dovor, where they had been assembled for the purpose of training.